Longboard races expand in their 3rd year

Longboarders wowed Cathlamet for the third year in a row, and the racers were equally enthusiastic about coming to the small hillside town on the Columbia.

“Anytime you can skate on Main Street, that’s great,” said Christopher Blache from Eagle Point, Ore.

The Cathlamet Downhill Corral offers varied events, but the downhill race attracted 96 contestants, the maximum allowed and was full months ago.

Judy Edmondson and Alison Johnson of Newburg, OR coordinate the event.

On Friday, participants gathered and registered in front of the Scarborough building for a slide competition and a tight slalom race on Broadway Street.

Saturday morning the boarders took off on a 7.5-mile push race around Puget Island trying to beat Robin McGuirk from Portland, who won last year. McGuirk finished third in the New York City longboard marathon held on July 30.

Robin McGuirk took first with a course record of 25:57; David Mitchell won second, and Brandon DesJarlais, third.

Scott Turner of Grants Pass had only one word after finishing his first push race, “Long.”

The push race was Cathlamet resident Parker Patching’s first race. He won a board at the Corral last year and started riding a month ago, his father Kevin Patching said.

Parker, who just turned 11, was one of the weekend’s youngest participants. He finished the push race 20th in the 22 person field.

Chris Stevens of Vancouver rolled shirtless across the finish line at the Stockhouse Farm at number eight.

“My strategy didn’t work,” Stevens said, indicating the vintage 72-inch water ski he rode, “but the scenery was great.”

Stevens has been skating for 28 years and longboarding for the last eight years. He’s coordinated a push race in Vancouver along the Discovery Trail called the Vancouver Vixen.

Duane Rodakowski, joking with Stevens about being in the over-40-club, came in sixth. Rodakowski, a concert sound engineer in Portland when he’s not longboarding, said he appreciated Cathlamet for hosting the event.

“Really. It’s so great. Judy [Edmondson] doesn’t skate and she is such a great support to us,” Rodakowski said.

Eric Kim brought both his daughters and parents from Portland to see him race. Rachel and Ashley razzed their father over “his 10-year-old competition” in the push race, but said they’re interested in riding too. Kim had just completed Robin McGuirk’s longboarding course at Portland Community College and participated in McGuirk’s Mt. Tabor ride.

The Sidewalk Showdown on Una Street gave participants like skate legend Cliff Coleman, from Berkeley, California, 49-year-old Mel Ancheta from Portland and thirteen-year-old Nathan Anderson of Portland, a chance to show what they could do. Coleman, 62, made it look easy.

Ian John Dutch filmed as he boarded alongside participants, which, he said, “is almost more fun than racing.”

In the Sidewalk Showdown, Casey Morrow took first, John Huey, second, and David Mitchell, third.

Announcer Robert McKendry III of Denver called the first Boardercross, “scary.” Jumps and ramps were constructed on Butler and River Streets Saturday. Boarders competed in four person heats.

The event sent one boarder to the hospital with a concussion, according to event organizers. He was released and watched the Sunday races.

In the Boardercross, Patrick Switzer won first, Will Royce second, Robin McGuirk third and James West Jr. fourth, Micah Green fifth, David Rutgers sixth, and Eric Albee seventh.

Sunday’s half-mile long downhill course started at Wahkiakum High School on a flat stretch along Third Street, before it turned on Spring and started downhill on Columbia to Broadway before it finished on Commercial Street.

Course designers added ramps to the steep downhill that makes it a technical challenge, competitors said.

Local volunteers Lee Tischer and Joannie Bjorge stopped traffic on SR 409. Carol Wegdahl and other Cathlamet fire department personnel staffed one of three ambulances on the course. Reserve deputies were on duty and some local businesses like Howie’s Corner brought in family to staff a busy day.

Addison Fox was the first rider past the judges when practice runs began Sunday afternoon. Nathan Anderson, 13, one of the younger riders was with him.

McKendry began to educate the crowd about the boarders who would be flying down the hill and hitting the hay bales. Boarders competed in four-person heats, with the top two advancing to finals.

The course attracts internationally known longboarders as well as first time contestants like Ian MacGregor, who came with family and friends from Grants Pass for the downhill race. His sister, Erin MacGregor came with her fiancé and parents.

“It’s hard to watch your brother do crazy things,” Erin said.

Macgregor crashed during the first heat of the race, he said. “My leathers were stiff and the wheels slid out.”

In the end, Alex Tongue took first, Chip Wood second, Billy Meiners, third, and Patrick Switzer, fourth.

An impromptu junior division downhill race gave Charlie Darragh first place, Brandon DesJarlais second, Alex Johnston, third and Addison Fox fourth.

Fox, who started the event when he wondered if he couldn’t get people together for a push race on Puget Island three years ago, said the best part of the event is seeing people he doesn’t see all the time.

Local groups like Wahkiakum Cheer and the Wahkiakum Community Network sold cold drinks as fundraisers. Boarders camped at the Wahkiakum County Fairgrounds.

In previous years the Corral raised funds for the local health clinic and gave $2500 to the local skate park in 2009. Last year the skate park received $1500.

Lee Tischer, a Cathlamet skate park sponsor, said, “We may have enough with a donation this year to improve the skate park at Erickson Park.” The group has not yet received this year’s donation.